A Cook County judge on Monday ordered a 15-year-old boy held pending trial in the killing of a 16-year-old girl found beaten to death in East Garfield Park earlier this month.
The teen boy, whose name was not released, was charged with one count of first degree murder in the death of Kaylah Love, who was found dead on March 17 in a park in the 3000 block of West Van Buren.
An autopsy performed by the Cook County medical examiner’s office found Kaylah died of multiple injuries due to an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide.
A woman who called 911 on March 16 to report two people fighting in the park found Kaylah there the next day near the playground with stab wounds to the head and neck and other injuries from blunt-force trauma, according to police.
Chicago Police said the teen suspect was taken into custody Sunday in the 4000 block of West Barry, and a representative for Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans said the teen will appear in court next on April 16.
Kaylah’s mother, Kyana Love, told the Tribune that her daughter had a talent for cooking and was able to make spaghetti, chicken alfredo, corn and rice and packed lunches and made holiday meals. Although she was only a sophomore at Manley Career Academy, she seriously considered studying culinary arts in college. She’d recently gotten a food handlers’ certificate to get restaurant experience this summer, her mom said.
“She was on her way,” Kyana Love said. “A 16-year-old with a dream in life got taken away.”
